Dr. No | First James Bond Film | Hollywood Movie Reviews

In 1962 a spy film was made with the title Dr. No (based on the name of the villain – Dr. Julius No), based on the book of the same name by Sir Ian Fleming. The movie have we can say changed the face of spy films and is even popular after 50 long years. Friends, it was the movie in which we have heard “Bond, James Bond”, the famous self-introductory phrase by Sean Connery. And now the official teasure of Skyfall – the next James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig as the protagonist is released, movie lovers are waiting eagerly to see the same; proving the charm of the Bond movies in movie lovers.

Three blind mice, the song was playing in the background when three blind beggars are wandering the town of Jamaica and reaches to the queens club. Here they kills John Strangways who was the station chief of British Intelligence – SIS at Jamaica. And it is revealed that the beggars were actually the assassins known as “three blind mice”, they eventually takes the body of Strangways with them in a car. Following the incident, the house of Strangways infiltrated by killing the lady trying to reaching British Secret service. They took a secret file titled “Doctor No” with them! The agents during the routine conversation with the station of Jamaica got alert with the broken contact and informs the same to the superiors. One of the staff members of the secret service visits the London club Le Cercle, looking for the agent 007 – James Bond, where he was busy playing cards with a group of people including Sylvia Trench.

He immediately reports at the office of Universal Exports (actually the British Secret Service, the office was just codenamed that to disguise). He brief about the incident of broken contact of Stangways since last 3 hours by Moneypenny and then goes inside to meet “M” – the chief. M briefs him about the stuff and Bond got to know that Strangways was working on something important which makes it even more important to get the details about what exactly happened to him. His cooperation with the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on a case involving the disruption of Cape Canaveral rocket launches by radio jamming, could have been the reason behind the incident. We got to see the human sides of both Bond and M during the conversation. See when M was trying to light his matchstick but the matchbox was empty and Bond forwards his lighter (though M founds another Matchbox and doesn’t use it – it is a gesture of a person offering service to the one he respect). Also Bond was given another gun instead of Beretta which he was carrying; M said on the incident that 00 is the license to kill not get killed. He was keen about the safety of his agents. You also got to see the observation power M has, which makes him capable to be the chief of the intelligence staff. Two small but remarkable incidents are how he captures Bond taking Beretta when leaving and calling Moneypenny immediately Bond left the door saying that he is in the hurry (so they didn’t waste time chatting – as Bond’s plane is about to live in 3 hours and a few minutes from the time). M was like a responsible and concerned commandant taking care of each person and place in the battlefield.

Bond lands to Kingston, Jamaica as per the schedule. On the airport itself there are people found following and keeping an eye upon him. One American was watching him from away (as exposed later, he was a CIA agent) and a lady was also there. Bond was approached by a fellow that he is the chauffeur sent by the government house to take him to the hotel. Bond have called the government house to cross check via a public phone and he had also seen the lady meeting the chauffeur in his absence. After getting information he needed from the government house, James decided to play his way and he went with the chauffeur and the car. On his way the chauffeur found they were followed and he throttled the engine. Bond have asked him to take sharp right turn and they were able to get rid of the followers. Bond also found that the chauffeur was indeed a wrong fellow (as he suspected) and when tried interrogating him, commit-ed suicide. Bond take his dead body to the government house and asked local police commissioner to collect the further details about the man.

At the government house bond requests to see the people last met Strangways and also to see his house. At his house Bond found a receipt by professor J. Dent, which he kept with him and came to his hotel. He also found a photograph of Strangways at his home with a local fellow and as commissioner told, he was a local fisherman. Bond decided to meet him. The boatman named Quarrel was located by Bond but found non-cooperative. He took Bond to a trap and then after clearing some stuff it was cleared that he was with CIA agent and they all befriend with Bond later. Their conversation also revealed that apart from being the CIA agent Felix Leiter and James Bond were on the same mission, making their friendship happened. When they were discussing the matter they found the same freelancer lady photographer taking their picture again (first she tried taking Bond’s picture at airport). She was briefly questioned by they were unable to get any stuff from her.

Bond was though much curious about Crab Key island. Quarrel reveals that he was guiding Strangways through islands to help him get mineral samples. The crab key island was a private property of a Chinese named Dr. Justin No. There no other information available about him and there was rumor that there was a dragon on that island no one dared to go there. The fisherman found going towards there, found never returning. Bond was also tried assassinated by three mice but eventually they could not fire on him leaving him intact. Bond later decide to professor Dent to collect the information about the receipt. He meets him but eventually found no information needed. When Bond asked to see the mineral samples Strangways provided him, Dent replied as they were useless he threw it away. Bond suspected. Dent also suspect that Bond got some doubt about the stuff and he immediately went to the Crab key island to meet Dr. No. Who gives him a killer insect to get Bond met with his death. We however no way able to see Dr. No.

James Bond also found that in the government house a lady working was eventually eavesdrop his conversation and suspect her. He decided to meet her. James received a gift from home, which was a radioactive signal detector and when examining the boat of Quarrel he found radioactive traces there. Bond and Felix both now agree that it was the minerals that were radio active, it happens only if they belong to the place where a large amount of radio active stuff happens. So the Crab Key island is the place from where the radio frequency jamming and other stuff could have been happened, and this Dr. No is the evil fellow.

The actual chase begins from here. How James and his team moves forward, reveals the plans, master mind and antagonist and saves the world is the thrilling story follows then onward. It is better to watch it rather than read more about it here. Only the car chases are using the background projection, otherwise the special effects and the usage of technology is quite excellent. Sean Connery plays perfect and so does the rest of the cast. Only the freelance photographer lady seems acting, others were natural. If to consider the technology available those days, we must say the film used it at a really great level. The detailing in the movie is quite fascinating actually. In most of the scenes the director tried paying attention on very smaller things as well. It will be delight to watch for a movie enthusiast. Do not worry if you haven’t that eye or even interest. Watching this movie only for the entertainment purpose, is also a delight to watch. The background music lives up to the expectations. The James Bond signature tune created in this movie are followed in all the Bond movie later till date, which is self explanatory about the quality of the same. Also when bond was killing the poisonous insect with his sleepers, hear the background music and you will simply be amazed. So next time you watch the movie, just try enjoying each detail and you yourself will see how amazing it is to watch it this way.

The film is also remembered for various reasons like:

It started James Bond series, it is said that around one quarter of the movie lovers have seen at least one Bond movie.

It made James Bond novels more popular, after the film was released, in a specific segment of time (just seven months) around 1.5 million Bond novels were sold.

It started a kind of genre in spy movies.

The bikini Ursula Andress wore left the huge impact on the swimwear industry

The movie was made in around 1 million USD budget and grossed around 5 billion, making it highest grossing movie in the series.

Terence Young took the actor to his tailor and hairdresser, introduced him to high life style making him looking witty and cool